Tales of Graces: Fodran Rescue
by heroes1202
Summary: Following the events of "Tales of Graces F", Asbel and friends learn of a strange disturbance that could mean the end of Fodra. Acting on Sophie's plea, the team reforms to try and rescue the remaining humanoids of Fodra before disaster strikes. But as soon as they arrive, strange forces take action as to mean the end of them as well.


**_Tales of Graces: Fodran Rescue_**

**_Part 1: Operation Humanoid Rescue_**

On the planet known as Ephinea, life is vast and plentiful for all who dwell on it. All kinds of life exists on Ephinea, all made possible by the wondrous element known as eleth. And it is here that our story begins, in the majestic kingdom known as Barona, capital of the Windor continent. It is early one day as we find a trio of youths walking through the capital together, just approaching the upper section of town. They are known as Asbel, Sophie and Cheria.

"Thank you again, Asbel, for waiting until we could see Richard before I brought this up." Sophie said. Asbel nodded, patting the young girl's head.

"Its okay Sophie. Richard is our friend as well. He'll always want to hear what you have to say." Asbel said. Cheria smiled and lightly nodded.

"It'll be nice to see Richard again as well. It has been an entire year since that incident on Fodra. And he's been very busy with his royal duties. I think a visit from us is just what the doctor ordered." Cheria said. Sophie giggled.

"So...if its okay to ask, why did you not want to tell Cheria or me about this before we came to see Richard?" Asbel asked, looking down at Sophie. The trio stopped for a moment as Sophie turns to Asbel.

"Its like you said Asbel. Richard is our friend. I wanted to make sure he heard about this at the same time the rest of you did." Sophie explained. Asbel looked on in confusion, asking who she meant by "the rest of you". Just then, they heard a man's voice chuckling nearby and looked ahead. They saw someone they knew very well and was another of their friends, Malik Caesar. He was waiting outside the front gates to Barona Castle.

"C-Captain? What are you doing in Barona?" Asbel asked. Malik smirked as he walked over towards them.

"Its good to see you too Asbel. I'm here because Sophie invited me here." Malik said. Cheria curiously scratched her head, asking why Sophie invited him.

"Probably because she thinks this is something we ALL need to hear." another voice replied. Asbel turned around quickly and saw Hubert.

"H-Hubert?! You too?!" Asbel asked. Just then, another head popped out from behind Hubert, surprising Asbel slightly. It was a young woman's face, the face of their "genius" Pascal.

"HEY! What about me Asbel? You TOTALLY didn't see me standing right here too?!" Pascal shouted. Asbel nervously chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry Pascal. I didn't know you were going to be here too. Wait. Don't tell me Sophie...?" Asbel asked, stopping at the sight of Hubert nodding.

"Yes. We all received letters from Sophie not too long ago to meet up with you at Barona today. She said it was something urgent and thought we should all hear it." Hubert explained. Pascal chuckled, adding that is what brought them all together again.

"So Sophie! Now that we're all together, are ya gonna...?" Pascal asked in a cheerful tone. But Sophie quietly shook her head.

"No. Not yet. We have to wait for Richard." Sophie said with a firm stare. Pascal groaned and comically fell to the ground. Malik lightly glanced around before crossing his arms.

"Hmm. Well, I know I told his majesty that we would all be here. Maybe he's running late?" Malik asked. Just then, they heard the sounds of footsteps approaching from afar. Sophie and Asbel turned with a smile, automatically knowing who it was. It was Richard, their childhood friend and king of Windor.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting everyone. Dalen had a MOUNTAIN of paperwork for me to go through before I could sneak out." Richard said with a chuckle. He approached Asbel and Sophie, stopping to give Asbel a hearty handshake.

"Its been too long Asbel. I hope you've been well." Richard said. Asbel smiled, glad to see Richard happy and healthy. Richard quietly looked at Asbel's eye, still purple from his fusion with Lambda.

"All right Sophie. Now everyone's here. What did you want to tell us?" Cheria asked, looking down at Sophie. The young girl nodded before quickly sighing.

"Its...about Fodra..." Sophie muttered. The mere mentioning of "Fodra" brought everyone's attention around her.

_~ Tales of Graces ~_

As the others listened, Sophie spoke of a strange sensation she was having while being merged with the Little Queen, sensing a very great disturbance on Fodra, her home planet. The queen has felt agony from Fodra's core, possibly meaning the world was coming close to an end.

"Hmm. This IS troubling indeed. If the Little Queen is in such grief and agony, it must mean Fodra must be losing its eleth." Richard said. But Asbel didn't understand how that was, seeing as how the descent into the core was so lush and green. No one else knew what to make of this strange behavior either. Pascal scratched her head.

"Maybe something is going wonky with the core. I mean...no one has been on Fodra in CENTURIES! The core could be fading out soon because of all the eleth Asbel and Lambda absorbed to stop the Little Queen." Pascal explained. Sophie put her hand to her chest.

"If that is true, then please...everyone. I have a request to make." Sophie said. Everyone quickly eyed Sophie once again.

"And what is that Sophie?" Hubert asked. Sophie lightly turned to Asbel and took hold of his hand.

"Everyone? Please...we have to rescue the other humanoids left on Fodra." Sophie said. Asbel lightly gasped, as did Cheria, as everyone remained dead silent. They glanced at one another.

"Huh? Did I hear her right? It sounds like Sophie asked us to save the other humanoids that are still on Fodra." Pascal asked. She received a light bonk to the head by Hubert.

"Of course that's what she said Pascal. Stop being an airhead." Hubert said firmly. Pascal rubbed her head, watching with the others as Sophie turned to each of them.

"Thanks to all of you, I've gained so much of who I am now. I have a family, I have dear friends who are always there for me...I've found my true home. But...if Fodra dies out, the other humanoids left there will surely die too. I...I wish for them to experience the same love that I have!" Sophie cried, putting emotion into each word. Asbel quietly looked on, recounting Psi and the others they met on Fodra.

"That's a pretty tall order Sophie. But...it may be possible to round up whatever remaining humanoids are left on Fodra. But...what would you have us do with them?" Malik asked. Richard lightly scratched his chin.

"Perhaps we could find them refuge here, treat Ephinea as the humanoids new home. And, with the right co-operation from the other countries, I'm sure we can find each of them someone to look after and raise them, just like Asbel and Cheria have done for Sophie." Richard explained. Sophie nodded.

"Well Sophie, if you think the other humanoids deserve a second life, who are we to deny them that chance?" Asbel asked "Let's go to Fodra and save your friends." Sophie lightly gasped before growing a smile, hugging Asbel tightly. The others shed a smile themselves because they knew that was Asbel's decision.

"All righty then. I guess we should call this trip "Operation: Humanoid Recovery" or something, y'know?" Pascal asked. Cheria nodded.

"I'll pass word onto Dalen to inform the leaders of Stratha and Fendel for their support as well. After all, I believe the gift of raising a humanoid should not just fall to Windor." Richard explained. With that, he promised to return as he headed back for the castle. Following Richard's example, the others returned home to prepare themselves for the journey that laid ahead. We find Sophie, later that day, looking up at the sky alongside Asbel outside Lhant Manor.

"This was a great idea Sophie. Thanks to you, the humanoids on Fodra are going to get a second chance at life. And...you know? You were right. They deserve the same kind of love and care that you received from us." Asbel said. Sophie nodded, glancing down at her chest afterwards.

"Heh heh. The Little Queen seems happy as well. I can feel her giving her thanks for our concern." Sophie explained. Asbel smirked, remembering his ties with Lambda.

"Hear that Lambda? Your brothers and sisters are about to be rescued. We'll watch over them and show them the same kind of attention you deserved so long ago..." Asbel thought, remembering the visions he had of Lambda's previous life on Fodra. The nighttime sky soon covered the skies of Ephinea as everyone slept well.

_~ Tales of Graces ~_

The next day, everyone meets together again on the Fodran shuttle, piloted in front by Pascal and her sister Fourier. Everyone was especially surprised to see Pascal's sister aboard the shuttle as well.

"Hee hee! Sorry guys. I hope you don't mind my sister tagging along. She's been pestering me all day yesterday for a chance to see Fodra's surface herself and to see the humanoids we're going to rescue." Pascal explained. Fourier gave a light, but taunting, huff.

"Why should PASCAL be the only one of us Amarcians to return to the place we once called home? I would like to see it with my own eyes." Fourier huffed. Pascal lightly chuckled and rubbed the back of her head.

"Well, then you should know...Fodra isn't exactly what you call "home away from home" sis. Just thought you should know." Pascal explained. With everyone soon situated in their seats, the shuttle quickly departed from Ephinea, heading through the aquasphere and straight for Fodra.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


End file.
